the Steven P.J. Wood Senior Fellow and Vice President for Research and Publications

Democratic New York Congressman Anthony Weiner's theatrical temper
tantrum rant on the House floor Thursday night, against supposed
Republican obstructionism, animated cable news on Friday and Friday
night ABC and NBC elevated it to legitimate news as they imputed great
meaning to it as genuine frustration with congressional gridlock. ABC
anchor Diane Sawyer announced:

Every now and then, someone seems to express the nation's frustration with the endless wrangling and delay in Congress.
And we thought you might like to hear New York Democratic Congressman
Anthony Weiner. He wanted a vote last night on a $7.4 billion bill, aid
for the sick police and firemen who raced to ground zero to rescue
people.

Viewers were then treated to more than a minute
of Weiner screaming "the gentleman will observe regular order!" and "the
gentleman is wrong! The gentleman is providing cover for his
colleagues, rather than doing the right thing. It's Republicans wrapping
their arms around Republicans, rather than doing the right thing on
behalf of the heroes! It is a shame! A shame!"

Afterward, Sawyer saw "one Congressman who seems to have had enough," only then noting "Republican members accused Weiner of political theater" - political theater which ABC decided to exploit.

Over on the NBC Nightly News, fill-in anchor Ann Curry set up a story on how "the U.S. House of Representatives erupted in a display of anger and passion that we often don't see."

Unlike
ABC, however, Kelly O'Donnell, who said Weiner "came unhinged," pointed
out "the real fight was over Democrats using their power to deny
Republicans a chance to offer amendments," citing how Republican
Congressman Peter King "is all for helping first responders, but he and
his fellow Republicans wanted to throw in a ban on health care for
illegal immigrants. Democrats blocked that."

O'Donnell concluded
by explaining why the majority vote in favor left the bill un-passed:
"If you're wondering why Democrats couldn't get this through with a
simple majority, they have so many more members. Well, under the rules,
because Democrats chose to block the other side from making any
amendments they had to get more votes - two-thirds of the House - and
Democrats fell short."

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